Autumn 2014 - What’s on in Zürich and around Switzerland

If you love food and drink and enjoy music and spectacle, then this is the season for you. From the traditional Oktoberfest beside the Limmat to the Expovina wine ships at Bürkliplatz, from the jazz concerts at Kaufleuten to the Räbeliechtli turnip lantern parades in the villages, from the Christmas lights in the Bahnhofstrasse to the roast chestnut stands and gingerbread cookies on sale, autumn in Zürich and Switzerland offers a feast for all the senses.

Enjoy autumn!

In Zürich…

Markets, fairs and outdoor events

Pumpkin Farm Jucker opens daily from 1 September. Special pumpkin exhibition - theme this year is Pumpkins Take Wing. The apple orchard and the maze are also now open. In Seegräben on the Pfäffikersee. This year a shuttle bus runs on Wednesdays from Bahnhof Aathal to Gemeindehaus Seegräben.
www.juckerfarmart.ch

Gourmesse Food Fair 10-13 October 2014
Chocolate, cheese and other delicacies at the Kongresshaus
http://www.gourmesse.ch/gourmesse/index.php

Winter timetable for boats on the Zürichsee starts 20 October 2014
Reduced schedule of round trips, cross trips, and new program of special themed boat trips. Take your guests on the cheese fondue or the fondue chinois ship, the Räbechilbischiff, the Samichlaus ship, or try the late Sunday morning ship.
www.zsg.ch

Expovina 30 October – 13 November 2014
Wine tasting on the wine ships at Bürkliplatz. A great annual event.
www.expovina.ch

St. Andrews Church Bazaar Saturday 8 November 2014, 9.00 -15.30
For English Christmas goods, cards, crackers, a great selection of second-hand books and other unwanted treasures. Refreshments and lunch available all day. Take the train or tram. At Kirchgemeinehaus Enge, Bederstrasse 25, 8002 Zürich.
St Andrew's Bazaar

The Singing Christmas Tree 20 November to 23 December 2014
At Werdmühleplatz, Zürich. School children take turns to stand on stage and sing.
Singing Christmas tree.

Christmas Markets in Zürich
At various locations from 20 November 2014
Christmas markets

Samichlaus Schwimmen in the River Limmat, Sunday 7 December 2014
http://openwaterswimming.eu/node/6506

Lichterschwimmen 18 December 2014 (check in advance)
Floating candles on the River Limmat from Stadthausquai at 18.00.
Lichterschwimmen

Silvesterlauf Zürich, 14 December 2014
Race through the old town and along the Bahnhofstrasse on traffic-free roads.
http://www.silvesterlauf.ch/

New Year's Magic with firework display, 31 December at midnight.
Don’t forget the champagne! At Bürkliplatz by the lake. Check out the train times for getting home.
www.sbb.ch

Swiss festivals and holidays

Knabenschiessen 13-15 September 2014. Monday 15 September is a half-day holiday in Zurich City. Boys’ and girls’ shooting competitions and a fair at Albisguetli.
www.feiertagskalender.ch

Zürich Oktoberfest 10 October – 8 November 2014
Zürich’s own German-style beer festival on the Bauschänzli island in the Limmat near Bürkliplatz. This year featuring a Jassen tournament on 11 and 25 Oct. Get there early and expect to queue. Open daily at 11:00 including Sundays. It’s a lot of fun but always crowded.
www.bauschaenzli.ch/de/index.html; tel. 044 212 49 19

Halloween 31 October 2014
This American festival with Celtic origins is not such a big deal here, but it’s a good marketing opportunity all the same! Have some sweet treats on hand in case you are visited by children ‘trick or treating.’ And get your pumpkins from Jucker.

Feiertag All Saints Day, 1 November 2014
The wreaths on sale in the shops and market are sold to lay on graves rather than adorn doors. Not a bank holiday in Canton Zürich.

Räbechilbi Richterswil, Saturday 8 November 2014 at 18.30
Marking the end of summer, many villages have their own turnip lantern parades, but the Richterswil parade is quite spectacular. It features over 10,000 carved turnips lit up with candles, many arranged on floats. Take the train or special boat. The lights in the village are switched off to enhance the magical effect.
About Raebelichtli
For transport see: www.sbb.ch  www.zsg.ch

Samichlaus Day 6 December 2014, a traditional celebration in Zürich and the region.
Children leave shoes for Samichlaus to fill with goodies. His assistant Schmützli keeps a book of good and bad deeds. Let’s hope they’re all good again this year.
www.myswitzerland.ch

Bank holidays and special days in Zürich
Christmas Eve, 24 December 2014
Christmas Day, 25 December 2014
Boxing Day or Stefanstag, 26 December 2014
Silvester, 31 December 2014
New Year’s Day, 1 January 2015
Feiertagskalender.ch

Galleries and museums

Exhibitions at the Kunsthaus
Splendid permanent art collection and special exhibitions - 'Hodler / Schnyder' starts 12 September 2014.
www.kunsthaus.ch

Exhibition at the Landesmuseum
‘Switzerland and the Great War’, 29 August till 26 October 2014.
Plus the permanent Collections and History of Switzerland exhibits.
http://www.nationalmuseum.ch/e/zuerich/

Exhibitions at the Rietberg Museum, Zürich Enge
‘Gastspiel’, contemporary Swiss art, till 9 November 2014.
www.rietberg.ch

Art International Zürich, 17 – 19 October 2014 at the Kongresshaus.
An opportunity to start or add to your own contemporary art collection.
Art Zurich

Music and theatre

Classical Concerts at the Tonhalle
The full autumn program is under way from 13 September 2014, under the direction of new chief conductor, Lionel Bringuier, including the popular lunch concerts.
www.tonhalle-orchester.ch

Concerts and shows at the Hallenstadion
This year includes ice skating.
www.hallenstadion.ch

Jazz Concerts at Kaufleuten, Neumünster and the Tonhalle
This year includes Marianne Faithfull and Paloma Faith.
www.allblues.ch

Zürich Jazz Festival jazznojazz 14 at Gessnerallee and ewz-Unterwerk Selnau.
29 October to 1 November 2014
www.jazznojazz.ch

Zurich Comedy Club at Theater im Seefeld
‘The Taming of the Shrew’ by William Shakespeare, 4-8, 11-15 November 2014
www.zcc.ch

Opera House Premieres Program restarts 20 September 2014
www.opernhaus.ch

Carol services in Zürich
Augustinerkirche, 18 December 2014 sung by St Andrew’s Church Choir.
See also services at St. Andrew’s English Church, Promenadengasse, December 2014 (dates to be confirmed)
www.standrewszurich.org

Christmas concert and services at St. Peter’s Church
http://www.kirchenkonzerte.ch/Kirchenkonzerte/Frame.html



and further afield (in alphabetical order of towns)…

Aarau Rueblimaert 5 November 2014
The annual carrot market on the first Wednesday of November in this nice old market town. An amazing variety of carrots!
Aarau carrot market


Bern Cheese festival Saturday 25 October 2014
www.cheese-festival.ch

Bern Onion Market or Zibelmärit 24 November 2014. Always on the fourth Monday in November. An abundance of onions, street entertainment, confetti battles and hot snacks. Expect a crowd.
Bern onion market

Küssnacht-am-Rigi
Klausjagen, 5 December 2014
Hunt for St. Nicholas through the streets; a colourful parade.
http://www.klausjagen.ch/

Luzern KKL concert hall
www.kkl-luzern.ch

Montreux Christmas Market 21 November to 24 December 2014.
Enjoy a glass of mulled wine and browse the brightly lit stands in the Grand Rue.
Montreux Christmas Market


Winterthur International Short Film Festival, 4-9 November 2014
120 short films from around the world, at various venues around the town.
http://www.kurzfilmtage.ch/

Zug
English Theatre Group of Zug: The Sound of Music, 19 to 21, 26 to 28 September 2014 at the Dorfmattsaal Rotkreuz
http://www.etgz.ch/cms/index.php

Enjoy Autumn!

Julia Newton, September 2014